To Wish Upon
by Faith Altoire
Summary: "…Our children are our future. They are extensions of us. We must cherish and protect them with our lives…" What should he do? What could he do? "It's my job." Just before the shot rang out Roy swore his dark eyes met sliver for an instant. AU complete
1. Misfortunes Call

Chapter I Misfortunes Call

The door to General Roy Mustang's central command office opened quickly as a rather excited Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes entered. He smiled widely waving a small crown of flowers in one hand and a wrapped parcel in the other. The man quickly straightened his rectangular glasses and coughed slightly to get the attention of his best friend who was currently snoring lightly on top of his desk.

Drool was slowing dripping down the Generals chin, landing in droplets forming a small puddle on the paperwork he was suppose to be signing. A pile of expertly made paper planes laid strewn all over the ground and the windows seamed to gleam as if brand new, signaling to Maes that the slumbering man had done absolutely nothing that fell under the jurisdiction of work today. Not that he was surprised…it was a well-known fact that Roy was the number one procrastinator here at central HQ. The Lt. Colonel sighed and then took a deep breath, preparing the yell at the top of his lungs.

"Hey Roy!"

Roy jumped in his seat, drool and paperwork flying through the air. "Don't shoot! Don't shoot! I love you Riza Hawkeye! Don't SHOOT!" He held his hands defensively in the air, simultaneously ducking under the desk. Maes giggled openly. "You off all people should know that if it were Riza…she'd shoot then yell and that desk would not be able to save you pal. I'm mean you married her." Roy glared at the other man openly, standing to his feet and wiping the drool off his face. "What the hell are you doing here Hughes?"

"Aww…is that anyway to talk to your best man, partner, and over all best friend?"

"Shut up Maes and tell me what you want."

"Well…" Roy knew he was going to regret asking the moment he saw the deranged look in his friends' eyes. "Look…" Hughes said shoving the ring of flowers into the bewildered Generals face. "My darling Elisia made this for me on her first day of kindergarten! Isn't beautiful? You want one too don't you? Well… I can ask my smiling bundle of cuteness to make one for you! She's so skilled! I mean just the other day she—"

"One more word and I swear I'll fry your ass." Roy stated coolly reaching into his desk drawer for his ignition gloves. Maes quieted instantly muttering a quick 'party pooper' under his breath and settling down in a nearby chair. All was silent a moment before Roy spoke again offhandedly.

"Seriously Maes why must you incessantly drabble on about your child like that? It's annoying."

All at once the Lt. Colonels face darkened. "Because my friend. Our children are our future. They are extensions of us. We must cherish and protect them with our lives…" Roy stiffened at his friend's serious tone and began to nervously pick up the paper planes that littered the floor. "Speaking of which…" Hughes continued, "I heard what happened. That's why I came. How is she doing?"

Roy did not look at Maes. "She's coping…"

"And you?"

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"I said I'm fine damnit! Why the hell wouldn't I be?" Roy yelled turning to face the other man with an angered expression. Maes softened his expression. "Because the two of you were so excited when you heard she was pregnant…I even helped you buy supplies."

A tense silence.

Maes sighed softly, resting a hand on his knee then remembering the object in his other hand. "On a business note, still no luck on the case of who keeps breaking into central library and stealing alchemy texts."

Roy shook his head. "We know only one thing. All those books…dealt with human transmutation…"

"You mean whoever took them…"

Roy nodded, "Precisely… whoever stole these books may be planning to use them. Which means are job is just to shoot on sight."

"Hmm…"

"General Mustang! General Mustang!" A very flustered looking Master Sergeant Furey burst through the doors. He panted for a moment before pointing at the window.

"Something's happening at lab five… alchemy…the brigadier General is here…they're shooting lot's of soldiers…dead." The young man lent on the door to catch his breath."

Mustang stood and spared a glance at Hughes who nodded silently. He then walked out the door. Motioning for his men, Havoc and Breda to follow.

Time to do his job.

When Mustang arrived at the scene he was shocked to find so many men dead. An ambulance had arrived with EMTs shoving body bags into huge trucks. Soldiers kept civilians at bay. It looked like hell on earth. "General Mustang sir!" a young recruit saluted him. "The brigadier General is inside sir awaiting your report."

"What's going on here?"

"I don't know sir. It has something to do with alchemy. They were two offenders sir. One was killed and moments after the other went berserk killing quite an amount of men. I believe the Brigadier General has him surrounded."

"Good."

Roy entered the collapsing building, to meet a scene he was not prepared for. A mass of soldiers stood in a circle, weapons posed to the center. The Brigadier General was barking orders at them, but when he noticed Roy he turned to greet him.

"Ah…General Mustang. You took your sweet time. This creature killed half my men!" He grabbed Roy and directed him towards the circle. "A foolish alchemist made it using human transmutation…don't worry we handled him. I just need you to dispose of that thing" he gestured towards the center.

Roy stared in shock. Chalk etching that once might have been a transmutation circle adorned the ground that was now smeared with blood. It created a very ominous feeling, but that was not what shocked the general. Crouched in the center of the circle drenched in blood was a small boy. He whimpered sadly a soft mantra of the word 'brother…' in a coarse but obviously young voice. In his arms he cradled the form of another blood soaked boy, this one obviously dead a small wound to the side of his head marking an instant kill. They both had golden hair and were pale and small. Roy could imagine how soft they would have felt to hold. They were so young…

" They're children…" He whispered voice suddenly so small and far away.

"They're monsters…" The brigadier General answered placing a small riffle in his hands. "You know the rules…shot on sight. It's your jurisdiction so you have to do it. Or do you want to be court-martialed."

Roy gripped the gun in his hand and slowly aimed it at the boy.

"…_Our children are our future. They are extensions of us. We must cherish and protect them with our lives…"_

What should he do? What could he do?

"It's my job."

Just before the shot rang out Roy swore his dark eyes met sliver for an instant.

As Roy headed out to the crowds a strange old woman he had never seen before met his gaze. For that instant a silent message was passed between them. It was the same thought that held him back in the lab. It paralyzed him.

"Roy."

The general turned to see his wife and best friend waiting for him by a cab.

"Coming" He turned back to the women. She was gone.

"Hurry up or we'll leave without you!" Maes yelled and Roy turned to leave. For a moment a pair of frightened sliver eyes flashed through his mind.

A silent message.

_Why?_


	2. Obsession

Chapter II Obsession

It had been a few months since the incident at lab five, and much to his confusion Roy found he could not erase the events of that day from his mind. Everyday he would sit at his desk and contemplate the image of those boys. Every night he dreamt the scene over and over in his head. The vision of that small child cradling the corpse of his fallen brother, desperately calling out to him in the hopes of him waking up, haunted his sleep deprived mind.

Every second he relived the moment when black met silver.

The General sighed deeply, running a shaking hand through his raven hair. He needed to stop letting this get to him. He did not even know those boys names. They were criminals; they did not only break the laws of the state, but the very law of nature itself. Human transmutation was forbidden for a reason. By every right the man knew he should not give a damn what the hell happened that afternoon. It was just another day at work. It was part of his job.

Roy placed his forehead to the cold glass of his office window, watching the birds flutter in the trees outside. The transmutation had been a success. The boy with the sliver eyes was definitely the product. Why and how the other one had manage to create such a being using alchemy that was far more advanced than even the top scientists here at central, was unknown. The kid was obviously a genius, and would have made an excellent state alchemist. His only mistake was getting caught.

After an extensive autopsy, the boys were kept in storage under central command, where bodies of unnamed soldiers were stored. He did not even know their names. Hughes told him this morning that a family from the east was coming down to identify them today. They had heard the news on the radio and reported that they were missing two blonde haired boys. Two? The general supposed that perhaps these people were mistaken and these boys weren't theirs.

He sincerely hoped so.

"Sir?" a voice spoke from the door behind him, and Roy turned to meet the gaze of his right hand "woman" and wife of two years. Lieutenant Riza "Hawkeye" Mustang entered cautiously staring at her husband. He could not look into her eyes. He did not think he could ever again. "Sir…Lt. Colonel Hughes says that the family that called yesterday is here." She glanced to the side as he felt a foreboding feeling constricting his chest. "They have confirmed the boys identities."

Riza then handed him a small manila envelope and motioned for him to open it. He swore his heart leapt into his throat when his eyes met silver one more time. On the page in front of him was a photo of the two children from lab five.

They were much younger in this image and both had wide smiles on their faces as they held up a large trout they had obviously caught from the stream that was painted behind them. The boy to the right sat on the ground looking up at the other in excitement. His glittering hazel eyes shining in pride towards his now apparent older brother, the brother in question wore a large grin plastered on his face and had one hand on the younger boy's shoulders, the other firmly gripping the massive fish.

Roy had been unable to see this boy clearly enough back in the dark lab. His eyes had been closed and his face plastered in blood and the General had never much liked to stare at dead bodies. But if he though the younger boys enchanting sliver eyes had paralyzed him, nothing would have prepared him for the startling _golden_ eyes that stared at him from under the elder child's mop of blonde bangs. He had never seen golden eyes before in his life.

It was then that a strange thought occurred to Roy.

The younger boy was like the moon and stars.

The older was the sun.

With that revelation Roy felt his chest constrict again with this unidentified emotion.

"Their names are Edouard and Alphonse Elric." His wife spoke seriously, pointing first to the golden-eyed boy then to the silver. "Their mother died a few years ago and their father is no where to be seen. They have been living with their relatives, the Rockbells, until a few months ago when they left their east village of Resembul. Their family has been looking for them since."

At this Riza motioned to the doorway. "They are downstairs in the waiting room. They wish to speak with you."

He shut the folder, and followed her out.

When they entered the waiting room Roy saw two women sitting on one of the couches. Well, one elderly lady and a tall blonde girl who look no older than sixteen. Riza closed the door behind and, introduced them. "Ms. Rockbell, Miss Winry this is General Roy Mustang head of central command, Sir they are Pinako and Winry Rockbell the boys' relatives."

Before the general could reply a loud crash was heard as a nearby stool landed beside him, narrowly missing his head. He turned to meet the murderous glare of a young Winry Rockbell.

"You bastard! It's not enough that this damn military and all these wars caused the death of my parents…but you took Ed and Al away too!"

"Winry calm down." Pinako said gently placing a hand on her granddaughters arm as the girl had reached for a vase on the table beside her. "b- but grandma…Ed and Al are…they're…" Winry collapsed to her knees crying and Roy was not sure of what to do. Pinako Rockbell shot him a glare and Riza led him away.

"I disserved that girl's wrath…" He told his wife. She did not answer as they walked out of central command. "I took away her family…I killed a child."

He shuddered at that thought but that _was_ what troubled him, right? Surely he had killed before, but men who had already lived their lives. Not a child who barely had begun his.

"I often wonder if I would make a good parent. If I could raise children like those boys."

He sighed as they walked towards their car.

"I often wonder the same thing."

Roy turned to Riza with a surprised face, but she was already stalking off to the vehicle.

What had she meant by that?

Had she wondered if she could be a good parent? Or he?

"Are you coming sir?"

He stared at her. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever known and he had loved her since he met her. Maybe even before that, but it took him so many years to realize it. He knew the loss of the baby after they had tried so hard to have one, affected her badly, no matter how she acted. He could tell. And he often wondered if she blamed him for it.

"_I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"_

"Sir?"

Roy stirred from his thoughts. "Oh? I'm sorry…no I think I'll walk. You go on ahead."

Riza nodded and turned away.

"Riza."

She stopped but did not face him. "Yes?"

He hesitated "I…nothing never mind."

Honestly he was such a coward.

Roy walked down the streets that lined the route to his large mostly uninhabited house. It was dark and the local derelicts sat on the corners begging for food and loose change. As a member of the Amestrian military he should have been chasing them off the streets and cuffing them back to HQ. But the General did no such thing. It was not their fault that they were poor and homeless. He had joined the army to help people, and although he seemed lately to be doing quite the opposite he thought he could at least partially atone by helping these people to the best of his ability.

A small girl of around six or seven stood on the corner a block away from his home. She turned to him with a toothless grin, brown pigtails failing about and she raised a small mug in her hand.

"A sen for a poor girl and her Mum sir." She said stepping up to him.

He immediately dug into his pockets and pulled out a few sens to place in her cup. She giggled slightly and too placed her hand into her worn out pockets.

Out of them she pulled out a small antique mirror and positioned it in his hand.

"There you go mister. For a kind man like you." She smiled brightly. "I hope it serves you well."

Roy stared at the object in his hand. It was beautiful and glittering. It seemed almost impossible for a girl in such a situation to own such a thing. If so it must have been an heirloom of sorts.

"I'm sorry but I can't take—"

The girl was gone.

Shrugging, much too tired to contemplate how such a small child had disappeared so fast. Roy glanced at the shining mirror before shoving it into his pocket and continuing on his way.

Perhaps he would give it to Riza…


	3. For whom the bell tolls twice

Chapter III The mirror

The funeral was scheduled to be on Sunday. The Rockbells had Edouard and Alphonse's bodies relocated so they could be buried beside their mother in Resembul. The expense had been large, perhaps too large an amount for two woman who lived on their own. They had two coffins to fill after all. Roy pondered the idea of paying royalties to the family, and help give the boys a proper funeral. He quickly abandoned the thought when he once again met the hate filled eyes of the young Rockbell girl, Winry.

After all, whoever heard of a murderer who helped pay to bury his victims?

"It's raining again today." He muttered to himself sparing a glance towards the window. Drops of water poured down the frame, tapping the glass in a rhythmic pattern that could lull an owl to sleep. The general laid his head on the desk facing him using a conveniently placed stack of paperwork as a homemade pillow. He was so tired and he had not gotten much work done today (not that, that was unusual. When did he ever really get any work done?).

He was too stressed. As if things were not hard enough at Central Command it seemed as though the cities crime rate at jump the charts. Several murders, thefts, random acts of terrorism…and being head of his unit Roy had to deal with it all. There was so much paperwork piling up in his office he feared one day he might not be able to find his way out. He would die a slow and painful death at the hands of his own worst enemy…

Paperwork.

Roy sighed yet again, lifting his head to stare out the window once more. He then reached into a nearby drawer and pulled out a small envelope.

" Then again, perhaps that sort of demise would still be too kind a punishment…" The General whispered to himself staring at the bright and happy faces of two children whose lives were just much too short. Roy always wondered what it would have been like to be a parent. He had a wonderful father growing up, who although he had not always seen eye to eye with, had influenced him in many good ways.

If he had been these boys father would their fates have been different?

Would he have been different?

He honestly did not know.

There was no point in thinking about things he could not change. What was the use in wondering about ifs or buts and castles in the sky when they brought you nowhere?

Why dwell on a past that was not yours to begin with?

Church bells rang out in the distances, signaling that it was already late in the afternoon. Roy sighed rummaging through his pockets for his state alchemist issued watch to verify the time. He gripped something else entirely. Bringing his fist out, the General stared at the object in his palm perplexed for a moment, until his tired mind recognized it as the small hand mirror the young girl had given him the night before.

Roy laid his head back down on his desk, staring intently at the item before him. It was surely of fine quality. Beautifully round, in a sliver frame encrusted with small jeweled flowers. He supposed it would fetch a pretty penny on the market, if he were desperate. The man had planned on giving it to his wife as a present, but she was never one for extravagant gifts, and with his luck the only use she would find for it was as another weapon in which to assault him with.

Not that any gift at this point would make her forgive him.

It was his choice to save her, at the cost of their unborn son. Already nine months into the pregnancy and there were no signs of anything going wrong. So horribly wrong. That night when he and Maes rushed Riza to the emergency room, when the doctors told him that she was sick…that it was a delicate procedure…that they could save both her and the baby…

But the risk was high.

And he just could not take it.

So only the woman was saved, sent into the bowels of despair as she cradled her lifeless little boy.

Their little boy.

It happened also the time. Someone died every day; he knew this perhaps more than anyone else. Because it was his job…but the more and more he told himself that the more he found himself running.

He was such a coward.

The mirror reflected his tired face clearly, even in the dim light of his office, and Roy could not help but be mesmerized by the gleam of it as he slowly drifted to sleep. The weary soldier, man and husband faded away to the sound of rain and bells in the distance. Thoughts of what ifs and whys floating through his mind's eye.

Moments later Roy could hear the sound of bells being replaced with a distant whistle sound.

_Heh… sounds like a train…_

He thought slowly, rubbing his eyes to clear the sleep from them. Suddenly a panicked notion occurred to him.

There are no trains this close to central command.

The bewildered general sat up quickly, his years of military training taking over instantly as he realized he was standing in the center of a small corn field. In the distance to his left he could see smoke from an oncoming train, to his right stretched more farmland which followed a large river up north.

What the HELL?

Roy was sure in was not in central anymore, as he maneuvered himself through the tall corn stalks, periodically pinching his thigh to wake himself up. He was positive that he must have been dreaming. How else could he be here, where ever here was, when just a minute before he was sitting at his desk. In his office. In central city.

This was definitely _not _central city.

Finally reaching the end of the field, he came upon an old dirt road. Coming to the conclusion that even if he was just hallucinating he was not waking up any time soon, he decided to play along and followed the road up a high narrow hill. It was the middle of the night, but unlike the raining afternoon back in central, the skies here were amazingly clear. Roy had never seen the stars shine so brightly. It seemed as if he only needed to reach out his hand to touch them.

On the side of the path stood a large sign, worn by wind and time, the General glance at it offhandedly and almost passed out at what it read.

'East Resembul Village

Home of the peace

Population 110'

Roy did a visible double take and then began to run up the hill at an alarming rate.

_This can't be Resembul. This can't be their village…their home. How in the hell did he get here?_

He needed to calm down. There had to be a logical explanation, but for all his extensive alchemical studies and military background he could not find one. Stopping to take a breath, Roy decided to ask someone in this small out of touch village if this was really what he thought it was. He needed to know if this was really Resembul.

If this was really their home…

A few feet in front of him stood a small two family house. There was smoke coming from the chimney and the door was held open with a chair. As Roy approached a small blonde haired girl exited holding a large basin of water in her tiny arms. She turned on sight of him on the porch, blue eyes widening. Then she smiled.

"Are you a doctor Mister." She spoke with an adorable lisp. "Or did you come to visit? My friend's mama is having a baby right now, but I supposed you knew that." She struggled a bit with her burden and giggle pointing to the door. "You can go in to visit Mr., but you haves to be quite kay?"

With that the little girl waddled off before Roy could think of anything to say. Pondering what to do next, the man slid quietly through the open door. He took in the familiar sight of a man in his late forties pacing back and forth further down the hall. Several women rushed out frantically from a nearby room, where the obvious sounds of a woman in labor were heard. They nearly knocked the apparent father over as they ran back in brutally slamming the door behind them. No one seemed to notice him, and he was about to turn away, not wanting to intrude, something in vision caught his attention.

A small, golden something.

Roy steep towards the form of the little boy crouching in the corner. There were minute sobs issuing from the child as the General looked around before kneeling in front of him, placing a hand on his head. "Hey there kiddo, what's up? Why are you crying?" The boy instantly jumped up and Roy's heart skipped a beat as the boy wiped the tears from his large _golden eyes. _He stared at Roy meekly for a moment before probably figuring that the man could not possibly cause him any harm if he were here.

"My momma's have a baby…at first I thought it was cool, but…but I think my momma's dying!"

The man did not quite know what to say to that, but if this child was who he thought he was he was positive that the boy's mother would not die. Not tonight at least.

"C'mon, Ed…you should be excited. You're gonna get a new baby brother!"

Edouard raised an eyebrow, but if he thought it strange that a complete stranger knew his name he made no comment. The boy merely folded his arms. "Don't wanna little brother, if it means I don't have momma."

"C'mon kiddo if you miss your mom, you'll always have your brother. That's

What they're there for. For you to love them and them to love you."

The child pondered this for a moment, brow furrowing in thought.

"So you're saying that we were born to love each other?"

Roy nodded slightly. He was not sure what he was trying to say, but that sounded right.

Ed's face broadened into a smile and he stood and hugged Roy.

"Thank you!"

The man was about to stutter something out, when an old woman who he recognize as Pinako Rockbell exited the birthing room. She signaled to the waiting father, and then headed towards Ed and Roy. The woman paid no mind to him as she ushered the boy into the room. Out of pure curiosity the man followed them and smile at the sight within. A young woman with chest nut colored hair lay on the bed cradling her newborn sliver eyed son. Her once panicked husband now gushed next to her, reminding Roy of his best friend Maes. Edouard climb beside his mother poking the bundled in her arms.

"Look my little man…" the woman whispered, handing the infant to the child. " You're a big brother now. Say hi hunny. Say hi to little Alphonse." The boy giggled. "Al…"

Roy awoke to the sound of a gun being cocked and shot up from his seat at his desk to face the glare of a severely pissed Riza Hawkeye. On any normal day he would have been apologizing fiercely to his nearly homicidal wife, but at the moment was too preoccupied with the events of his strange and sudden dream. Seeing the look on his face the Lieutenant sighed and put away her gun.

"Sir, General Hakuro is waiting for you in the conference area."

"Uh…yes. Thank you…um…could you tell him I'll be right there in a moment."

Riza nodded and exited the room.

General Mustang took a deep breath and began cleaning the papers that were strewn over the floor of his office. Absentmindedly shoving the antique mirror back into his pocket and glancing back at the happy faces of the Elric brothers.

_What a strange dream…_

He shoved the picture into his pocket as well and headed out the door.

There was no way he was drinking after midnight ever again…


	4. The happy family

Chapter IV The Happy Home

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Unlike the stormy weather Central had become used to recently, the day was bright and sunny. Clear skies shown over the lazy rooftops, down in the plaza people gathered in and out of stores all smiles and chatter, heedless of any sadness or pain. Children rushed down the pathways heading to Central park, the echoing of laughter trailing behind them.

Yes, it was a beautiful day.

Then why in hells name did Roy feel like he wanted to commit murder?

"C'mon Roy! You're personal rain cloud is soaking the rest of us! Cheer up for heavens sake!" A hyperactive Maes Hughes yelled while playfully poking his best friends' cheek. As usual, Roy was spending his day off with Maes and their wives. It was a tradition that began two years ago after Roy and Riza's wedding. The egotistical General and the deranged Lt. Colonel got into a boasting match over whose wife was the true angel of angels. It ended with Hughes almost losing an ear and Mustang almost losing his life (execution style).

Needless, to say the weekly trips gradually changed into the beautiful yet fierce women shopping, while Maes and Roy follow behind like the whipped dogs they were, their only job was to behave and watch over Maes's young daughter Elisia. Roy sighed deeply as he watched the other man cuddle his daughter. The small girl laughed loudly, her large green eyes wide as she squealed when he tickled her. They were the cutest family, picture perfect. Roy admired Hughes for what he had accomplished in his existence. Having known the man his entire life Roy was not surprised that he would have the family almost every man dreamt of. It was all Maes ever wanted, ever talked about growing up, even now that he had it he still would not shut up.

Mustang laughed under his breath, brushing away a stray strand of hair from his face. It must feel good to have everything you ever wanted. He knew that he was not bad off himself. He had a great job, good friends; a beautiful wife…the problem with Roy was he had never in his existence decided what in wanted in his life.

Wasted time, wasted gain… what is it that he wanted?

"Hey!" Roy looked up just in time to find five pounds of chubby Elicia shoved mercilessly into his arms. He had to grab the edge of a nearby bench to steady himself and turned to glare rather flustered towards the object of his eternal frustration. Maes laughed and grinned widely. "I thought you might need a focal point for your depression. Elicia honey why don't you cheer up uncle Mustang with some lovin'"

Roy glared once again at his friend and then turned to the child in his arms. She was so small and delicate. It seemed wrong for someone whose hands were so drenched in blood to be holding her. "Uncle Oi is grumpy! Sad, sad, sad, that's not good."

She wrapped her arms innocently around him and placed a small kiss on his cheek. "Smooch! All better now!" The General felt his face burn as Hughes took his daughter back from him and cooed. "See she's so cute how any one could be sad around her! It should be illegal!

Roy smiled "An absolute sin against nature…"

He froze finding his hand had drifted unconsciously into his coat pocket. He fingered the silver mirror and pulled it out too stare at it. The man seriously began to wonder about his drinking habits when he saw in the visage of the object not his own haggard reflection but the image of a cornfield and a small two family house. Glancing from side to side, Roy spied a small bookstore at the next corner.

" Hey Maes!" He called to his friend, pointing to the store. "I'm going to drop in here for a minute. You mind?"

Hughes grinned. "Naw… course not. You want us to come to?"

"No, that's alright I'll catch up with you guys in the food court. See you."

Roy watch as Maes shrugged placing his daughter on his shoulders and walked off. He then ducked into the small bookstore. It looked old, probably one that only sold rare and expensive texts. There seemed to only be an old man at the cashier and about three other costumers floating around the shelves of books. In the back were tables for people to sit and read their finds. Roy took the one in a far corner of the store and grabbed a random book off the nearest ledge.

The General set the book down open in front of him and made as if to read it. Instead he pulled out the small mirror and held it in his palm under the table to look at. The mirror no longer reflected the old house in Resembul, but a scene that was playing in it. A young woman with chestnut brown hair stood over a boiling pot, humming a soft tune. She smiled to herself as she lifted a large ladle filled with what looked like some sort of stew to her lips. Seemingly satisfied with the substance she replaced the lid on the pot and washed her hands wiping them dry on her apron. As she turned, Roy noticed the peacefully confused look on her face. She was a beautiful woman, had she been alive and he single, he knew he would have been trying his luck with her.

Trisha…

Where had that name come from?

A door was slammed in the distance, and Trisha turned towards the sound. She smiled. "Ah…Edouard, there you are my little man!" She greeted the blonde child as he entered. The boy hesitated before slowly moving closer to his mother, eyes downcast and hands clutched at his side. Edouard had a large bruise on the side of face and coated in dirt. Trisha raised a brow curiously. "Edouard what's wrong and where is your brother?" Ed shrugged and sat at the dining room table.

"How should I know I'm not his freaking keeper?" he answered as he laid his head on the surface in front of him, his face hidden from both Roy and his mother. The woman said nothing though; she just stood there, hands on hips with a calm expression. After a moment Edouard threw his arms in the air and stood. "Fine! I'll go look for him!" With that the boy left the house, slamming the door behind him. The mirrors gaze followed him down the road to the edge of a cornfield where a young Winry was playing with her puppy.

"Hiya Edo! Whatcha doin'?" She called out to her friend. Her small dog followed behind wagging its tail and licking at Ed's feet. She frowned when the older boy did not answer. "Woo! Earth to Edo?"

"Have you seen Al? We got into a fight and he ran off. Do you know where he is?"

Winry's frown deepened. "What did you fight about?"

Silence.

"The usual?"

More silence.

"Gosh! Ed! You're so mean! It isn't Al's fault your dad left and you know it!" the girl whacked her friend over the head resulting it a loud smack. Edouard rubbed the slowly forming lump and glared.

"I never said it was!" he yelled back. "I don't know why he always asks me about that damn bastard anyway!"

"Because you're his big brother and maybe if you cared for him a little bit more he wouldn't be looking for someone else too!"

The boy said nothing to this as he continued down the road. Winry called after him. "Hey! Where are you going?"

"To the river. To find Al."

The mirrors gaze continued to follow Edouard down the trail. For the moment Roy glanced around the store looking in case, for any strange stares sent his way. Surprisingly, the place had become empty, save for a tall woman with black hair and the shop clerk. It was almost noon and he should be preparing to leave so he could meet with the others at the food court. It was not that far away he could wait a few more minutes. He was never on time anyway.

"There you are. Dinners ready and mom sent me to look for you…"

Alphonse sat at the edge of the river, knees pulled up to his chin. He did not raise head as his elder brother moved over to him. The older boy took a seat to the right of the other and mirrored his position. For awhile they were silent until a small tearful voice broke through. "Brother…why are you so angry at daddy all the time?" Ed turned to face Alphonse, seeming to mull the question over. Then he sat back and stared at the glowing stars. "I've told you why about a million times already Al. He ditched us, ditched mom even though she loves him. I hate him. I just hate him." The boys small fists clenched as he stood and began to walk away, signaling for Al to follow. He did not. The younger boy simply stare at his brothers retreating form an unreadable look in his crystalline eyes.

"Do you hate me too?"

Edouard froze in his tracks. Roy felt his heart clench at the immense sadness emitted from that one question.

"What?"

"I wouldn't blame you. I'm a useless little brother, and I know you never wanted me… I just cling all the time but…I can't help it because you're my big brother…and I'm sorry I annoy you…" Tears rolled down Alphonse's face as he too stood and ran forward wrapping his small chubby arms around his brothers' torso. "I'm sorry…don't leave! I love you…Don't hate me please! I'll be better! I'll be so much better, don't leave like daddy!"

The older boy looked extremely confused but returned the embrace smiling slightly. "You little idiot course I don't hate you."

Al looked up at this, still choking on sobs.

"…and I won't ever leave you."

"Really..?"

Ed nodded, taking his little brothers hand and began to walk away. He stopped a little ways off. "You know someone once told me that brothers were born to love each other…"

Roy felt his breathe hold. Had the child actually remembered him?

"What is it brother?" Alphonse gripped the elders boys shirt, voice full of concern. Edouard stared off into space, and then roughly shook his head. "It's nothing…C'mon I'll race ya!"

Crash! Something hit the general smack into his side as he watched the boys run home to their mother. He tumbled from the chair he sat on and glanced up in surprise.

"Oh dear I am so sorry!" spoke the tall dark haired woman who now sat between his legs. She had been using a nearby by stool to reach a top shelf, but did not take notice when several books fell, inevitably causing her to tumble down, Roy breaking her fall. The General sighed, assuring her that there had been no damage done, as he took her out stretched hand.

The clock at the corner of the store hit the hour mark. It was already late. Riza was going to kill him! No worse, she was going to strangle him with his own intestines and hang him out central command for the world to see. Bowing to the woman he quickly made to leave, but was stopped by a hand on his wrists. He turned meeting the woman's unreadable gaze. He was lost in her eyes…what color were they? He could not tell…

Roy quickly remembered himself bowing his head as his cheeks heated up. "I'm sorry Ma'am but I'm married…" he muttered to which she only laughed. "Well…I should hope so. You're sons look like a handful I would have hated to know you had to take care of them all on your own." The General gave her a dumfounded look as she handed him the picture of the Elric brothers he carried with him. It must have fallen from his pocket when she…fell on him.

"T-thank you…"

"Take care."

He stood there staring as the woman exited the store, then at the mirror and photo in his hands. Then the clock caught his attention again.

He was _so _dead…


	5. The tragedy and Fate

Chapter V The Tragedy and Fate

During the next few months Roy found himself pulled into more and more of the life of the late Elric brothers. He saw how they loved their mother deeply, worked hard around the house and went to school. They were often out playing with Winry and the other children of Resembul, Edouard leading the group through childhood adventures. He saw how their obsession for Alchemy grew with each time their mother praised them. Their father had been an alchemist, and it was impressive the amount of skills the boys picked up simply by reading his books. Roy took notice of their mothers longing heartache as she gazed day by day out the window. It was obvious how badly Trisha wished her husband to return.

The General had not a clue as to why he was being shown these things, but he did not complain. It was almost as if the time spent in the mirror world eased him of his suffering and guilt, if only for a moment. It took him away from the life that he had now and showed him a life that he could have, had circumstances been different. Maybe… things would have been different if he truly had been these boys father rather than that neglectful bastard that abandoned them. Where was he? By Roy's count the man had been gone for almost eight years now, and he had not sent so much as a postcard to his family.

Roy felt an unknown hatred towards this man he had never met. How could any father abandon their children like that, to leave his young wife to fend for herself and her little ones? He did not understand and found he did not want to. As the man watched the brothers play by the riverside with the young Rockbell girl, he laughed to himself. He would give anything to get what that man had.

Anything.

To be home with Riza and have two lovely children like Edouard and Alphonse. Why had not he ever gotten that chance…because he did not deserve it? Because with everything he had done in his life he owed it to karma to never have what he truly wanted? Yes, that was it.

He wanted it.

He did not deserve the love of a family like that. Hell, he was lucky to have such a beautiful wife like Riza, and a good friend like Maes.

But he wanted it so much.

Who was he kidding wishing for something like that? For that life, for those boys, he did not deserve them.

But he still _wanted_ them…

He had killed them for God's sake, murdered young Alphonse in cold blood. What nerve did he have to wish for that? There was not a star in the sky, nor relect to be found that he could wish upon that could change that fact. The dead do not come back. Not ever…but if not for fatherhood…then for the shortened lives of those children…he continued to pray. It was getting late out, in the world within the mirror and his own, as he remained prone on his bed gazing at the laughing children below. Riza was out with Gracia again. It seemed that she vanished more often from the house when he was home. Not that he blamed her for avoiding him. He wondered how long their relationship would last if this tension remained. He certain that no matter what he said or did would not help matters, so he often avoided her as well…

"Ed watch out! You know you can't swim!" yelled Winry when Edouard landed into a particularly deep end of the river, almost unable to get out by himself. He shook his golden hair wildly, like a mutt after a flea bath.

"Brother! Brother! Look at that fish it's huge, I think it might be even bigger than Winry!" Alphonse pointed happily at the river. Winry frowned. "Hey, what's that a supposed to mean? Are you saying I'm fat Al?"

"Course not Winry you're not fat."

"Just fat mouthed—Ow!" Edouard found himself being beaten to the ground by his furious best friend. Al laughed and skipped over to the two. "Brother, can we catch that one?" The older boy stood, having barely avoided being mauled to death by the girl, and turn to his little brother, a lopsided grin on his face. They had already caught six fish all on their own by Roy's count. The aquatic creatures were dumped in a nearby bucket that was just as big as the children themselves.

"Okay." Ed agreed "But just this last one, Mom wants us home before dark, and we still have to pick the vegetables."

Al nodded eagerly and together the two moved to catch the fish, with Winry watching close by. The General laughed out loud when the massive fish nearly drowned Edouard causing Alphonse to have a panic attack and fall in beside his brother. In the end both Elric's stood proudly, holding the large trout up for their friend, and unknowingly Roy, could see. The man suddenly knew why the scene reminded him of something when Winry quickly ran off and brought back a small camera from her purse that hung on a tree behind them. She took a picture of the pleased looking brothers and then placed it in her dress pocket.

Roy felt another grin tug at his lips as he watch the children walk to garden near their homes. He now knew why Maes was always smiling; children seemed to have that effect on people. The three spent awhile-picking vegetables for their mother, who was going to make them stew tonight, their favorite. Roy stood and made his way over to the kitchen, meaning to grab some coffee for himself as he glance at the clock.

Four in the morning.

Sleeping was an impossibility as of late. He could not close his eyes even if he wanted to. Heading down the stairs and entering the small room that passed for kitchen, Roy saw a movement in the corner of his eye and turned around panicked. Had someone broken in, or was he just seeing things? He was supposed to be alone for the night he thought as he noticed with horror that he was no where near his ignition gloves, but let out a relieved sigh at the sight before him.

Riza sat on the small dinning table, her head resting on its surface obviously asleep. Roy smiled as he gently brought her into his arms, remembering the way he held her at their wedding. Relishing the chance to touch her again with out guilt or fear, he started of the stairs carefully. When he reached their two person bed he made to put her down but a soft muttering stopped him for a moment.

"Roy…"

The women nuzzled into his chest and released a contented sigh.

"I love you…"

"I love you too Riza…" The General muttered sadly and laid her down, gently kissing her forehead. Maybe there were some wounds that could be healed with time. "I love you so much… it hurts"

* * *

Roy sat in his study, not wanting to wake his wife up, as he gazed into the mirror once more. He was not surprised to find it blank. There were days when the object revealed nothing but a visage of his own tired face. The man assumed that whatever powered the strange item wore out, like a battery with too much use, and simply needed to recharge. Roy tossed the mirror to the side of his desk of his desk in boredom.

What was he going to now?

"Well… I suppose I could go to bed…seeing as Riza seems to be in a…loving mood."  
He smiled evilly, the thought of a night of love with his wife fresh in mind. Before he could leave the room a small plop, caught his attention, and he turned. On the ground on lay the small mirror, shaking uncontrollably, as it began to glow an unusual shade of red. Curious, Roy moved towards it, but leapt back when it lurched forward and grew."What the..?" the mirror expanded from a small, pocket sized item, to a large looking glass. Within it in the General recognize the now familiar faces of the elric brothers.

They stood before a grave in the middle of the night, appearing cold and hungry. Their cloths were dirty, and they looked tired. Alphonse was crying openly, gripping his brothers pant leg in grief and rubbing his eyes. Roy felt the unrestrainable urge to comfort both tragic looking boys, but knew it was impossible.

"W-whose gonna take care of us now? How are we going to live without her?"

Little Alphonse's words broke the man's heart in two, but it was the elder brothers answer that caused it to stop all together.

"We're not Al. We're going to bring her back."

All at once a million images flashed at light speed through the mirrors frame. Roy knew. He knew what they were doing, what they had done…and he knew it was futile to stop them but he tried anyway.

As he screamed and banged against the glass, he begged…begged for it to stop. What kind of loving God would do this?

They were children. They had no one to teach them right or wrong.

Why?

The glass shattered and he felt himself fall through.

* * *

Roy awoke to blinding white. That was all his fogged mind could register.

White.

Was he in a hospital?

"No."

Eh? A voice resonated through the hall…er room…er wherever he was, with no apparent source. The man stood shakily, holding his pounding head. " Then where the hell am I? And who are you? Show yourself" he did not want to seem rude but his head was killing him and he could swear he knew that voice from somewhere.

A soft childish laughter rang out and a strange creature appeared before him. It had the figure of a nude, curvaceous woman, but its skin was as white as the world around him. It glowed slightly, in a paranormal way, and it had no face, except for two penetrating eyes in an indefinable color. The laughter continued as he gaped, then ceased as the thing stood too it's full height and stared at him.

" Poor, poor Roy Mustang. You have returned to the mirror world. The tale that was shown to you has ended, so this world has been reset for the next sole. As for who am I?"

The creature giggled once more and then sighed.

"You know who I am."

The light faded slightly and Roy felt his head ache dissipate with a soft breeze.

"I am Wisdom.

I am Knowledge."

Images of the preceding months flashed across every inch of white space, around them.

"I am Fate.

I am Destiny."

The entity caressed the side of the now confused and slightly frightened Generals face. Almost instantly, her form changed at the touch and she became the little beggar girl with the missing teeth, that had been the one to give Roy the mystic mirror.

_I am past_

A voice in his head whispered.

_I have come to help you change it._

Roy stepped back, remembering the lives of the innocent Elric brothers, destroyed by unfair events of which they had no control. The sliver eyes of young Alphonse, recently restored from a body that could not feel, the first sensation after so many years was the texture of the cold, bloody body of the brother he loved so dearly. So soon after restoration, confused, angered…broken the boy had died. By his owns hands, hands that had wished to hold them as if they were his own. The little girl giggle and twirled around, stopping as she grew into the beautiful dark haired woman, whom he had met at the bookstore.

_I am Present_

Roy wanted to scream out 'What the Hell was going on?' but found his voice to have disappeared.

_I have come to help you live it._

He should have stood up to his superiors, put the gun down. He should have taken the chance that summer night, and put faith that his love ones would have both survived. He should have kissed Riza every chance he got, never let her leave his sight, tell her that he loved her, and never let her forget it. He should have listen to Hughes when he ranted on about children and life. Maybe, just maybe if he did those things, this indefinable emotion would leave him, and would not feel so empty…so incomplete. The woman smiled kissing his cheek and slowly changing into a small old woman, who at first was unrecognizable to him. Then he sighed bring a hand to his face.

A silent promise.

_I am future_

_I have come to help you save it._

The world cracked and Roy began to laugh manically. He knew he had lost it. He knew this was the end.

"What do you want me to do?"

He yelled over the sound of breaking glass. Whatever she was, she could not turn back time, she could not undo the wrongs in his life…for all he knew she was simply doing this to torture him.

Karma coming back around.

He wanted to save them. The brothers…his son… the world…

He was selfish like that.

He did not want to be a coward anymore.

_You must do what you feel is right_

_What you truly wish to do._

There was a bright receding flash of white, before darkness overtook him.

_Last chance to get things right._


	6. The letter Epilogue

Chapter VI Epilogue-The letter

_Resembul station September 27 1910_

"Please explain to me once again Lieutenant as to why I am currently riding on the back of the most ragged wagon I have seen since Ishbal, in a country hick town I have never heard of in my life?" Complained a rather impish looking Lt. Colonel Roy Mustang, who was in fact riding in the back of an old farm carriage, on a trail through the countryside of Ametris's eastern borders. He sat beside his subordinate and childhood friend Riza Hawkeye, his arms crossed and face crunched up. The lieutenant simply rolled her eyes at her superior, and remained silent.

"My apologies there are no cars in a countryside village like this." Spoke an old major who was driving. Roy sighed and spared a glance at the old man, then towards Riza. "No it's okay. This ride is pretty interesting." He answered, staring at all the passing corn fields. _Interesting for a goat. _He snorted, leaning on his hand. The major grinned through a large white beard and called back. "So, why you looking for the Elrics, Lt. Colonel Mustang?" Mustang groaned and materialized a piece of paper from his pocket. It was a letter to him from an unknown sender, describing the talents of two alchemists living here in Resembul. With the war in Ishbal barely over and the tension with their neighbors rising, Amestris needed all the help they could get. That was why he set out to recruit the Elrics as state Alchemists.

"I heard the Elric brothers were skilled alchemists. I've come to recruit them." He stated simply. The old man whistled. "As state alchemists? That's impressive!" he yelled with pride. "A ranked officer from the military come to see them in person. My won't those boys be surprised." Roy nearly face planted off the carriage into the dirt below him. "Boys…?" The Lt. Colonel glanced at the paper once more, "But this says…Edouard Elric 31 years old." The Major laughed shaking his head. "No he's eleven and his brothers a year younger than him." Roy huffed, shooting a glare at no one in particular.

"What is the meaning of this Lieutenant Hawkeye?" He asked turning towards the woman in question. She shrugged slightly. "Either this letter came through a time warp or there was a serious mathematical error, sir." The man groaned as his driver laughed once more. "It wouldn't hurt ya to just meet 'em. They're really good kids.

Roy opened the door to the small hilltop country house before him, and was automatically struck by a mixed sense of foreboding and déjà vu. The room was dark as he stepped in, closely followed by Hawkeye. The ground was littered with books and papers, and as he passed a nearby table something caught his eye. It was a small frame photograph of to smiling boys, holding a large fish in their grasp. The Lt. Colonel felt a smirk tug at his lips, as he looked at the obvious happiness in their unusual silver and gold eyes. His heart felt warm at there smiles, and it was as if he knew them from somewhere before, but he could quite put his finger on it. Placing the photo back down on the table, he moved to the next room.

His breathe caught at the sight.

On the floor of the room was sketched a large transmutation circle, that was smothered with blood. In fact, there was blood everywhere, on the walls, the papers strewn over the floor. Hawkeye follow him in looking aghast at the scene. "S-sir what is this?" he did not answer as he bent to pick up a small jar that lay by his feet. The old major entered the room out of breath. "If they're not here they could—"

"Where are they?" Roy murmured, slamming the jar back down, it shattered into millions of pieces, and turned towards the other two. "Where are the Elric Brother?"

A dog was barking continuously, as Roy knocked on the door of the Rockbell family home. The door soon opened and the man pushed past a small, familiar old woman, to enter. "I am sorry for the intrusion he said as he glanced around. The woman was yelling but he paid no notice as his eyes caught the sight of two figures in the shadows. One was that of a small, golden eyed boy, who sat in a wheelchair, his eyes fogged and his right arm and left leg curiously missing. Behind him stood what appeared to be a man in a fierce looking suit of armor. He held tight to the handles of the boy's wheelchair and stepped backwards as Roy moved towards them at an alarming rate. Paying no heed to the boy's obvious injuries, he lifted him by the scruff of his neck off of the chair to look him in the eyes.

"We went to your house! We saw the floor! What the hell did you do?" he screamed, shaking the child. The boys golden eyes lowered in shame, and he sobbed slightly. The colonel opened his mouth to say more, but a large glove hand, place itself on his shoulder. Roy looked up to meet the two glowing red orbs of the suit of armor before him. "We're sorry…" A soft, whimpering voice echoed from it and the man could swear he could picture a small boy with silver eyes crying, on the floor before him, bathed in blood, but where that image came from he did not know.

"Boy, are you?"

Roy knew at that moment that he had to help these boys. They were good kids, that made a bad mistake, but that did not mean he could just let the state deal with them. He knew what happened to people who defied the government, and preformed human transmutation. He would not let that happen to these, poor unfortunate boys, who only wanted the love of a family, and had no guiding presence to teach them right from wrong. Edouard was a talented young man, able to survive a visit to the gate, and bind a soul to a suit of armor, with a little help he could easily become at state alchemist. So he explained to the brothers and there guardian the benefits of being part of the military. The access to information they could gain, that could help them restore their bodies. Roy knew without a doubt that they could do it and he would help them all the way.

As Alphonse wheeled his brother away, and the Lt. Colonel stood to leave, he noticed an identical copy of the photograph back a t the Elric house, handing on a bulletin board in the hall. He put on his coat and took the photo in his hand. "When these boys return to their bodies, I'll make sure they do it right. Do you mind if I take this." He asked Pinako, she shrugged and he placed the item into his pocket.

As he climbed once more into the back of the old carriage, Riza addressed him.

"Do you really think they will come?"

"Oh… they'll come alright."

"That boys' eyes…I don't think I've ever seen eyes so dad before."

"That's what you saw huh?" Roy asked, staring out at the board horizon.

"No, those eyes. There was fire in those eyes."

And world goes around again.

THE END


End file.
